~Multifandom Imagines~

Astarion X Reader

pairing : astarion x (female) reader

summary : astarion watches as you do the thing he longs to do the most, bask in the suns warmth. you allow him to feel it through your skin.

When you arrived in Baldur's Gate you figured your life would be different. And when you killed Cazador with Astarion by your side, you were sure that nothing would ever negatively affect the two of you again. So when the time came to defeat the elder brain, you were happy and excited.

But when you found out that Astarion's tadpole was no longer protecting him from the sun, your heart broke. Aching for the young man, the two of you fled from the city. He liked life on the road more anyways and you were willing to sacrifice the city for the wellbeing of your only love.

Besides, camping around had its perks. Astarion was usually in charge of picking a spot for the night, and thankfully his taste was unmatched in everything he did. He always managed to find the most beautiful scenery.

"I could never allow my lover to sleep on some shabby deer path, or in a smelly bog. What kind of man would I be? I know you'd enjoy a spot with a beach so much more," He would say the most convincing words, kissing your hands, when you tried to convince him the spot you had first found was going to be fine. He would have no such thing, wouldn't even humor your idea.

And of course, he was right, as he always was. When he finally picked a spot, a large open space for your tent and fire, and the defining feature, a river cut off from the world by a line of trees. It was like the world had put it there for the two of you alone, and he knew exactly where to find it.

Throughout the day, when Astarion would spend his time reading inside of the tent to hide from the light, you would sneak off to the nearby river bank.

With your clothes thrown haphazardly along the shore, you would lay in the sand and bask in the heat of the sun's light. It was your time to yourself, to relax, a time when you could let your guard down.

But Astarion had always been one to take advantage of an unsuspecting eye. So while you lay, with your eyes closed, relaxed in the sun's light. He would watch from the tree line, pupils wide with adoration.

A part of him was filled with envy of your ability to lay so freely in the sunlight. Another part was saddened to think that he would never be able to feel its warmth against his skin any longer. As bad as it was to have his mind violated by the tadpole, he missed the sun more than he had the first time. With the tadpole he had gotten another taste, but he never would again.

Within all of his anguish, Astarion still found himself able to look at your figure taking in the sunlight, and still find your beauty of far more importance. It was hard to be envious of such a beautiful creature.

"Astarion?"

Startled by your voice, he snaps out of his trance, and finds your eyes.

"Sorry my love. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Just wanted to appreciate the scenery." He settles his arm against the tree beside him to hold him up as he converses with you from afar.

Slowly, you stand up to walk over to him with wobbly legs, tingly from not walking.

"I can come back to camp if you want. I just need a moment."

"No no. Enjoy the sun." Your heart aches once more as you see a sudden sadness glaze over his eyes, his lips purse as he holds back the emotions he truly feels.

"Are you okay?" You approach his body now, standing under the darkness of the trees, hands reaching up to hold his face in the warmth of your hands. His face lifts, cheek pushing against your hand as he tries to get closer to the heat.

"You're so warm, my dear." His cold fingers land atop your hand, a heavy contrast against the heat you had collected from the sun, "I miss this feeling."

He feels his eyes begin to collect water but he swallows back any sadness, choosing to indulge in your warmth. You pull him into your body, his hands reaching around to feel at your back. Even though you had been laying on your back it was still warm, far warmer then his hands which sent a shiver up your spine.

"I'm sorry." You place your face into his neck, gently kissing his collarbone and neck.

"For what, darling?"

"You'll never get to walk in the sun again." Your own eyes start to brim with tears, empathetic for his inability to feel the sun. He pulls away just enough to look down at you, slender fingers playing with the flesh on your waist.

Slowly he lifts his hands to wipe away stray tears sliding down your cheeks with the pads of his thumbs, "As far as I'm concerned, my dear, you are the sun. You give me all the warmth I need, and your smile, gosh, I don't think the sun could match how it brightens my day."

His words send heat to your cheeks, which he takes advantage of by placing his hands on either side of your face, pulling you in to kiss your lips gently.

"We could come back out when the moon is over us. Moonbathe, no sun needed." He chuckles at your attempt to reconcile the fact that he can't join you as you sunbathe.

"I would love nothing more."